Apple set a standard for the market in 2019 with the introduction of the AirPods Pro. Companies like Samsung, Sony and Bose quickly followed with ironclad competitors evolving over the years. In 2022, Apple will come up with an answer in the form of the AirPods Pro 2.
The wow factor from 2019 seems to be achieved again and Apple once again puts itself at the top. It’s just not quite as most of you might expect. You see, the power of these AirPods Pro 2 is in…the chip?
The new Apple AirPods Pro 2
The design has not changed very much since 2019. The -still snow-white- earbuds and its charging case have only undergone a few changes.
Apple has added an additional grille to the AirPods Pro 2. These provide improved noise reduction and transparency mode which I will come back to later in this review.
The box looks largely the same, although there are some pleasant changes to be discovered here as well. One of these is the ability to attach a loop so you’re less likely to lose the earbuds.
Apple got that right, by the way. Losing AirPods is a thing in practice. Precisely why the AirPods Pro 2 features enhanced Find My functionality. As with the AirTags, it’s possible to navigate to the earbuds or have the box play a sound as soon as it’s nearby.
The sound, by the way, comes from the speaker grill now found on the charging box. In addition to the Find My¬ functionality, it also plays a sound as soon as you place it, say, on the charger. That could be a standard, MagSafe, or even Apple Watch charger.
4 Ironclad AirPods Pro 2 features.
So the AirPods Pro 2 really has to live up to its features. I’ll discuss the power of the H2 chip in a moment, but I’ll first highlight four additions or changes that I think are particularly useful:
#1 Direct volume control
It’s notable that it took a long time, but the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are finally able to control the volume. Until now, this had to be done with the Apple Watch or the iPhone.
Grasp the stem with two fingers. Then slide up for higher volume and down for lower volume. Might take some getting used to, but incredibly handy.
#2 Battery life 33% improved
Apple has also significantly improved the battery life with the AirPods Pro 2. By 33% over the previous model, no less.
As a result, on a full charge you can do six hours with the earbuds while active noise cancellation is enabled. If you charge the earbuds with the case, it is even possible to enjoy 30 hours.
#3 Smaller tips
It won’t apply to everyone, but Apples decision to include chunkier tips is a good one. This time the medium tips are standard on the earbuds and you have the option of replacing them with large, small or even extra small tips.
Handy tip: on your iPhone, be sure to also do the fit test. You can do that within Settings -> AirPods Pro. Should you need smaller or larger tips, your phone will tell you.
#4 Sound quality is better
The sound quality of the AirPods Pro 2 has improved, although Lossless Audio support is still nowhere to be seen.
However, it does allow you to take full advantage of Personalized Spatial Audio. Through your iPhone, you scan your own ears so that Spatial Audio is completely tailored to you. Ideal.
H2 the great power of AirPods Pro 2
Good. Now to the point where Apple really knows how to make a difference: the H2 chip. Never fear, I’m not going to get into a technical story about exactly how it operates. I will, however, tell you what you can get out of it.
You see, the H2 chip provides two things: better active noise reduction and a masterful transparency mode.
The AirPods Pro 2 features noise cancellation that Apple says filters twice as much noise as the first generation did. Hard to determine, but I can’t help but think that the ANC (Active Noise-Cancellation) is full of ultimate quietness. The earbuds compete with the top of the entire market in that area and provide frustration at home, and I manage to completely ignore the editors when it’s busy.
Good, but not masterful. In fact, that title goes to transparency mode. As with the previous model and the AirPods Max, ambient sounds can be heard perfectly well. But with a slight twist.
The AirPods Pro 2 still filter out sounds above 90dB and pull them down to 85dB or lower. A barking dog, screeching neighbor or siren: you’ll hear them, but simply less loudly.
So Apple’s earbuds are ideal not only for music, but also for ear protection. Think of a concert, for example, where the sound is usually way too loud. Trade in your regular protection for the AirPods Pro 2 and you’re still in the clear.
AirPods Pro 2: just incredibly good
After the success of the previous generation and the presentation of Far Out, the bar was set high. The AirPods Pro 2 seemed to be a masterful product and practice last week only confirmed this.
The lack of Lossless Audio is incomprehensible, but that’s really where it ends. I have plenty of people around me who purchased the previous model in 2019 and are still wearing them daily anno 2022. The same role is played by this new model.
The price of $299 is certainly not cheap and may be too high if your current Pros are still performing extremely well. But I assure you that the AirPods Pro 2 are worth every penny once you do want to take the plunge.